Meal Planning Monday 03/03/14

Can you believe it is March already!  This year is coming in far too fast!
It’s my mini mans 5th birthday this month and only 4 months until my wedding!
Can someone slow down time for me?

Because we are still doing our healthy eating, I am takibg inspiration from The Hairy Dieters again.
If you haven’t gottheir books, where have you been by the way?, I would recommend getting them,  some fantastic stuff in them.

Here goes

M   All in one pork and rice
T   Soup, unsure what yet
W    Haddock fishcakes
T    Baked potatoes
F   Meatloaf and tomato sauce
S    Chicken korma
S    our usual Roast

Thanks to Mrs M for hosting the weekly linky, take a swing by her page go see what’s cooking.
X

Meal Planning Monday 24/02/14

Welcome to my Monday Meal Plan!
With a big thanks to Mrs M for hosting this linky.

I am getting back in the swing with my meal plans, and cannot believe that I let them slide for so long.
They are helping me stick to my healthy eating and keeping shopping costs down,  which we all love, don’t we?

Here goes:

M  Chicken cordon bleu – low fat version
T   Homemade Lentil soup
W   Creamy Haddock
T   Pann Haggerty light
F   Mince & vegetable pie
S   Turkey Burgers
S   Roast dinner

We are taking inspiration from The Hairy Dieters this week.

We get out fresh fish from John and the gang at Delishfish.  Pop along and have a look, the fish is the tastiest we have had in a while.

Don’t forget to pop along to Mrs M’s to see what else is cooking 🙂

X

Calling All Adventurers (and mummies/daddies)

Here at Follow my Line HQ, we have been invited to a Top secret event, hosted by the wonderful Ella’s Kitchen.
Alas, we cannot go, as this event is being held in London (hopefully you will have one in Edinburgh at some point)
I bet you can imagine how sad we are to miss this 😦

I can let you into a little secret though!
Are you in London on Wednesday 26th February?
Are you free between 10.30am and 1pm?

Well if you answered yes to these 2 questions,  read on my little Adventurers,  and don’t miss out!

Calling all adventurous little ones…

Baby and toddler food experts, Ella’s Kitchen, is creating a totally incredible, edible experience for little taste explorers to enjoy.

Created to celebrate the launch of the ‘my little BIG meals’ range, the super-secret taste adventure is designed to introduce little ones to a world of scrummy fruit and delicious veg, and features a whole host of fun things for little explorers to taste, touch, smell and discover.

 
The incredible edible event opens to the public at The Horniman Museum and Gardens, London on Wednesday 26th February from 10.30am – 1pm and is free of charge for parents and little ones to explore.

 
WHEN? Wednesday 26th February, 10.30am – 1pm

WHERE? The Horniman Museum and Gardens, Victorian Conservatory

ADDRESS: 100 London Road, Forest Hill, SE23 3PQ

CLOSEST TUBE: Forest Hill

Sounds exciting right?
Get along there and join in the fun.

Let us know how it is and be sure to have some fun for us.

X
 

Frugal Friday – Lists

Lists!
I love them.   Never used to, in all honesty, if you were a list person 10 years ago, I would have thought you didnt get out enough.
But, oh, how times have changed, I have a list for near enough everything.
Meal plan, shopping list, freezer and cupboard list, you name it and I probably have a list for it.

My freezer and cupboard lists are what I have in them and this helps keep shopping down through the week.
I work my meal plans around what I have in them, so as not to buy a lot at the shops.
Since doing this, I have saved roughly £7-£10 a week.
Over a year that could be a saving of upto £520!

Here are a couple of my lists, the freezer and cupboard ones do get quite messy (all the crossing out and adding on)

Do you use lists?
What do you use them for?

I would love to hear about your money saving, frugal tips, so share, share away 🙂

X

Meal Planning Monday 27-1-14

Well fellow meal planners, I *hangs head in shame*, have not taken part in the Meal Planning Monday in a while.
All this is about to change 🙂

I hope you ‘orrible lot have been sticking to it though.

Here goes:

M
Homemade Mince and Tatties

T
Homemade Leek and Potato soup

W
Chicken curry and naan bread

T
Some sort of fish, not sure yet, whayever takes our fancy

F
The Mini’s will be at granny’s tonight, may persuade the Mr to take me out!

S
Beef Tacos

S
Roast beef

I am using up items in my freezer, cupboard, you name it, to help save some money.

I am in the process of setting up another blog for my recipes, so once that’s up and running, I’ll be sure to let you know.

Thanks to Mrs M for her Meal Planning hosting.

x

Frugal Friday Tips

I bet most of us are in the same boat moneywise,  especially after christmas.
And that boat is the Skint Boat.   I know I definitely am!

So I have decided to make some Frugal posts, to share with you.  These hints and tips are what I do to try and stretch the old dough a little further.  And please if you have any tips you would like to share, don’t hesitate to send them in.

The first Frugal Friday post is about Roast chicken.
Yes, yes, I know.  How can a roast chicken be frugal, well here goes…..

Have you heard about the 1 chicken, 3 dinners rule?
I LOVE it!  It’s one of the best money saving tips food wise, that I have come across.

Basically, you get yourself a whole chicken anduse it 3 times.
And how might you do that?  Dead easy.
You have your Sunday chicken roast, once you have finished, completely strip the meat that is left and use it for the next meal.
Then take the carcass and boil it up with some herbs, veg, whatever takes your fancy.
And Bobs your uncle,  you’ve got yourself 3 dinners!
Tell me thats not amazing!?

1.  Roast chicken dinner
2.  Leftover chicken curry
3.  Chicken noodle soup

I think its fantastic, and the most I have had out of it is 4 dinners.
I just make, say, chicken curry or chicken pie, with the stripped mest and freeze it for another day.
Sameneith the stock,  just tub it up and freeze.

If you have tried this, how many dinners have you had out the chicken?
What do you make with your leftovers?

Be sure to let us know 😉

X

Tuesday Treats – Flapjacks with a Twist

These flapjacks are the perfect treat with a nice cup of tea 🙂
Again, another simple recipe, and it has a lovely twist.

What you need:

175g/6oz Margarine
175g/6oz Demerara Sugar
2 tbsp Golden Syrup
225g/8oz Porridge Oats
My Secret Kitchen Vanilla Pudding Spice

18 x 27cm Shallow Baking Tin

What you need to do:

Turn on your oven to Gas 3/160oc.

Line your baking tin with greaseproof paper and grease the top of it.

Melt the margarine in a saucepan and add in the sugar and the syrup.

Heat the mixture on a low heat until the margarine has melted.
Stir with a wooden spoon, now and again, dont let the mix boil.

Take the pan off the heat and add in the porridge oats.
Stir them in, making sure that they are covered completely in the syrup mixture.
Add a sprinkling of the vanilla pudding spice mix and combine well.

Place the mix into your greased tin. Spreading all over the base and making sure the mixture is pushed into the corners.

Smooth the top of the mixture, then place in the oven for 25 minutes.

When the flapjacks turn golden brown, they are ready.

Leave the flapjacks to cool for 10 minutes in the tin before cutting them into squares.

Once cut leave them in the tin until they are cold.

Enjoy

xSx

Tuesday Treats – Cherry and Chocolate Brownies

My oh my, these brownies are tasty. And easy to make.
I loved them, the Mr loved them, the Mini’s loved them and my fellow Cake Enthuasists – Mel and Lucy – enjoyed them!
Just need the Pops taste test on them now!

What you need:

175g/6oz Margarine
350g/12oz Caster Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
3 Eggs
125g/5oz Plain Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
50g/2oz Cocoa Powder
125g/5oz Chocolate Chips
125g/5oz Glace Cherries halved

What you need to do:

Line your baking tin with greasproof paper (I used a 9 x 12 in oblong tin)
Lay the paper and grease the top.
Turn on your oven to Gas 4/180oc.

Melt your margarine in a saucepan over a low heat.
Once melted, pour into your mixing bowl and add in the sugar and vanilla extract.

Break the eggs into a small bowl and beat together.
Add them to your mixing bowl, a little at a time. Making sure the mixture is combining well.

Sift the flour and cocoa into the bowl and then add in your baking powder. Mix well.

Add in your chocolate chips and halved cherries and stir well.

Pour the mixture into the tin and smooth the top.

Place in oven and bake for 35-40 minutes.

The brownies will be ready once they have risen and there will be a crust on the top, and soft in the middle.

Let the brownies cool down slightly in the tin for 5-10 minutes, then cut into squares and place on a cooling rack.

Enjoy!

xSx

Souper Sunday – French Onion Soup

This is a fantastic tasty soup, and doesn’t cost a lot to make.

Serves 4

Little Chefs – Cornflake Crunch

Makes 8 pieces

225g milk or plain chocolate
3 tablespoons golden syrup
50g margarine
100g cornflakes

20cm shallow round tin

Grease your tin with a little margarine on a paper towel.
Grease inside well, but don’t leave a lot of butter on tin.

Break your chocolate into pieces in a large pan.
Add in the margarine and syrup.
Heat the pan on a low heat, stirring the mixture all the time.

Once the chocolate has melted, add in the cornflakes and stir well.
Making sure that the cornflakes are coated well with chocolate.

Spoon the mixture into your tin.
Smooth the top with the back of a metal.

Put the tin in the fridge so that the mixture sets. Should roughly take 2 hours.

Once set, get a grown up to use a sharp knife and cut into pieces.

Keep in an airtight container and eat within four days